The Open University hosts visit of Committee for Employment and Learning

Today, The Open University hosted a meeting of the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Employment and Learning Committee at the OU office in Belfast. After the meeting, MLAs were given a tour of the building and met teaching and student support members of staff. They also had the opportunity to explore interactive online learning materials with current Open University students. 

Chairperson of the Employment and Learning Committee, Robin Swan MLA commented, “This is the second Committee meeting hosted by The Open University. We are delighted to see how the OU has continued to provide value to society and economy in Northern Ireland in the last year, and especially to learn about the new Routes to Learning programme which gives students a guide through a range of free online resources. Being able to engage today with students and hear how part-time study has changed their lives for the better was inspiring.”

Welcoming the Committee to The Open University, National Director John D’Arcy commented, “We are grateful to the Employment and Learning Committee for visiting The Open University and for allowing us to host their meeting. Part-time higher education provision is essential for economic growth in Northern Ireland and for lifting people out of poverty. The Open University has a unique role within the higher education sector in Northern Ireland and we hope that the members of the Committee had a valuable taster of the positive experience that our students in Northern Ireland have.”